Hiking Elopement | Inspiration for Adventurous Couples

Our first call with these two was so exciting. We felt a pretty immediate kinship and were stoked about their plans. They knew they wanted a day focused on adventure with their closest friends, and wanted to feel absolutely spent by the end of the day.  

Alex and Tam met between their sophomore and junior year of college and after spending a weekend together, they were locked in. Having met so young, meant that they had grown and changed together in a way that felt so special. This resonated with us so much. We also met when we were babies and shared the same sentiment of growing up together.

We were all so stoked, chatting about the possibilities for their day, the logistics to consider, and even chatting about locations that we KNEW they would absolutely love.

Planning a hiking elopement often feels like putting a puzzle together. You take all your dreams and visions for the day, lay them out, then sift through them with the logistics in mind. Some hiking elopements have elements that require a little more consideration to fit the vision, and we always make sure that our couples know what to expect when choosing the most important elements for their day. 

Typically, couples come to us with a range of dates, or questions about the best time of year for specific areas. But, Tam and Alex came to us with their date locked in. It was their anniversary, and even though it fell on a Saturday in peak season, keeping that date was important to them, and they were willing to do whatever they needed to keep it. 

We knew that we would need to be strategic and would likely need to stick to a sunrise elopement ceremony to keep this part of their day more private. Mileage wasn’t an issue here, they (and their crew) were down to wake up early and put in some miles for privacy.

Knowing that Alex and Tam wanted BIG views and wanted to avoid crowds (as much as possible), we opted for locations that were outside of the National Park, focusing more on the National Forest, where folks tend to visit a bit less. 

We wanted to find locations that would give them mega stunning views and better chances for privacy. This all meant sticking to locations that:

1. Were longer in mileage. Knowing they were down for a long day hike for their ceremony, a 5-7ish mile hike felt like a good bet for privacy if we started at dawn. 
2. A sunset location that was more challenging to access and maybe even required AWD. 
3. A ceremony location that would pop off at sunrise 

You alreadyyy know we’re big fans of sunrise elopements ’round here. They’re perfect for adding a bigger chance of privacy, spotting wildlife, and the light is just stunning.

Tam and Alex wanted to take advantage of the benefits around sunrise, so we started their day just before the sun started to rise.

We met in the parking lot of our trailhead while the sky was just starting to turn a deep navy blue, and set out on our trail for their elopement ceremony spot.

Catching the mountains just as the sun was rising was unimaginably beautiful. Their snowy tops turning a soft, rose-gold, stopped us as we hiked the ridge line multiple times.

For their elopement ceremony, Alex and Tam chose the shores of a gorgeous alpine lake.

They and their guests changed in the woods just as the sun was beginning to creep over the ridge line.

After sharing a sweet first look with their friends, their friend led their ceremony.

To celebrate, we explored the surrounding lakes and found the perfect picnic spot for them to enjoy the gorgeous views with less bugs!

After finishing out their morning hiking elopement, they grabbed lunch on the way to their lodging for a big ‘ole break during the hottest portion of the day.

You’ll want to choose a location that really matches the vision you have for your hiking elopement. Consider the types of landscapes that inspire you, the type of environment that makes you really light up, or even a location you’ve always dreamed of exploring.

Also consider the accessibility preferences you have. Do you want a challenging hike with rewarding views, or would you prefer a leisurely stroll that doesn’t require breaking a sweat? Trails longer in distance, or more challenging will also help you avoid a ton of crowds.

If you have guests joining you (or even if ya don’t), consider multiple locations. One that suits the needs of those joining you and one for just the two of you to explore!

You’ll want to choose a date where your location really shines and is also accessible!

For example, the Cascades can be snow-covered well into July, with roads remaining closed until things thaw out more.

For popular areas, you’ll also want to consider a weekday to avoid heavy crowds, congested trails, and limited parking.

When building your timeline for your hiking elopement, you’ll want to be sure you give yourselves enough time to reach your location without feeling rushed.

A good rule of thumb is to give yourselves roughly an hour per mile when you’re hiking in your wedding attire. This gives you plenty of time to hike at a chill pace, have some buffer time, and really soak it all in.

Be prepared to hike in the dark (whether that be hiking in or out) with headlamps, or lanterns!

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